Most advice on eating before exercise I've seen says that you should wait at least 2 hours after eating before exercising, so it digests. But I've found that I like to eat about an hour before training or working out. I find that I'll have digested the meal and have loads of energy even though this contradicts what a lot of advice says. Personally I think you should do whatever your body agrees with. What are your opinions on this? Do you ususally eat this close to a work-out or do you leave it longer?

To be honest i have never been much of a record keeper when it comes to training, so the diary has always been a bit against my nature. Also, at the moment i am just doing my thing. I do not chop and change that drastically, nor do I look for the 'secret' or 'magic' routine that will push me to new levels, because it does not exist. I train 4-6 days per week depending on my work schedule and outside responsibilities. I run, cycle and use a heavy bag in varying combinations for cardio, and I do whole body compound workouts for strength. Its not flash, revolutionary, nor complicated. What it is, is intense hard work that challenges my abilities every set of every workout. I think my detailed log thus far should convey that, and if it hasn't then no further posts will either.I will post what we get up to at 'Core' when it is fully up and running, becuase that will be different, and open up a lot of avenues that I can only touch upon ireregularly at present. But until then, its just hard work, every workout of every week. interesting for me, but not very enlightening for the reader

Quote:What are your opinions on this? Do you ususally eat this close to a work-out or do you leave it longer?

In the past I would have a meal at 2:30 at work and then when home I would be working out at 5:00 and usually had plenty of energy. Just in the last while I've been working out at night and usually I ate supper, had a 15 minute nap, and then drag myself 1.5 to 2 hours later to workout trying to find energy. I prefer after the work as I'm still going strong whereas napping and then working out later has too much of a lull period in between. I agree, listen to your body as I have no problems working out after an hour as when doing TKD/BJJ that is what usually happened; ate supper and then 45 minutes to an hour later I'd be training and doing fine.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

Tuesday night I trained only my wife as my daughter was ill and had stayed home from work and so had to do homework. I'm very impressed with the effort she is putting into this. I'm currently only working on getting her slowly into weight lifting with light weights and only targeting her lower body at this time and then will move to the upper body as she gets comfortable with the weights and the time she is doing. Currently have her doing dumbbell lifts with very light weights (10 lbs per arm) such as Farm-Walk Lunges (3x10-12), Squats (3x10-12), Deadlifts (3x10-12), Ab Crunches (holding 10 seconds; 1x5) and Ab Pulldown Crunches (25 lbs; 3x10). I also have her using the glider to warm up followed by light stretching. On top of that she regularly walks and is using the Glider for 30 minutes twice a week. Mostly with this we are targeting her lower body though the Ab Pulldown Crunches she is getting some arm and shoulder work. Again once she is comfortable then we will start to work her body as a whole.

While training her, for sh1ts and giggles I thought I'd see what I could curl fresh. Doing the Dumbbell Seated Isolated Bicep Curls, my results were Right = 1x74lbs and Left = 2x74lbs. I'm right handed but the left had less trouble doing it; though both were very difficult especially the second lift on the left. Had to adjust my body to get it up so sort of cheated. My right I think I mentally gave up as well knowing it wasn't as strong and knowing I've had problems with the distal bicep tendon. I'm thinking of what I could have done when I was lifting 69 lbs per arm and do 5 reps per set. Just thought I'd blow my own horn .... HONK!

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

Wednesday was Valentines Day so it was another day off. Woke up to a gift basket from the wife ... doh! This is what I was picking up for her later that day. Physio after work and I pushed myself so that I could get the Valentine gift and I was exhausted from the workout. I pick up the basket and then pick up 3 live lobsters, big bag of shrimp and some large scallops so that when she came home she also got supper. She was very excited and paid me back.

Then I played Texas Hold 'Em on the X-Box 360 for about 5 hours till 12:30 and then headed to the bathroom to get washed up and brush my teeth. The bathroom/steamroom downstairs is attached to my weight room and after I'm done I figure it I'd try some more sh1ts and giggles. The 74 lbs are still sitting there so I give it a go with each arm and get them both off. The left still feels it can do more so I figure lets up the weight. I put on 84 lbs and give it a go with the left and what do you know, difficult as all hell but I get it. Right I can just pick it off the ground so put it down. I then give it another try and can ony get it half way up before I again put it down. 84 lbs ... wow, I impressed myself.

Was going to work out a second time last week but things came up and I then put it off till Monday. Monday was a holiday for Albertans (Family Day) and I always take the long weekends off from weight lifting; kind of a treat to myself. So Tuesday became my new workout day.

After a week off I found the Bench Presses hard but I will strive to make better. Rear Lat Pulldowns were at first easy and then harder; though I don't think I rested more then 2 minutes between sets. Military Press went up which is good as my shoulders have been feeling sore. Tricep Dips also went up; I just love this muscle. I also increase the Bicep Curls especially after my "sh1ts & giggles" earlier. I opted out of the leg exercise as my knee had been bugging me all weekend. Plus my wife changed around the living room again and I smashed my bad knee into a metal table that brought me to tears.

Tuesday I also helped train my daughter and wife though they are getting into the routine and I am going to work with them to progress even further. I've upped the weights an additional 10 lbs (5 lbs per arm) which is a start and I have been driving home that to push themselves a little bit further each time and they are doing it.

Wednesday I had physio and pushed myself. I don't think they see many people like me that come in and just do things myself without them having to tell me what to do or to motivate to keep going. I do physio like it is a workout and when I leave my legs really feel it. Treadmill, wall squats with ball, bridging with ball, 3 minutes on wobbly board, 5 minutes of chair walk, lunges, one-legged squats off step and much more. I make the most of the 1 to 1.5 hours that I'm there that also includes 15 minutes of heat and then some light stretching.

Thursday another workout, Friday another physio plus training of wife and daughter. Then weekend for rest and then start over on Monday.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

In my last workout I felt a tinge in my bicep and when I started doing the lat work I felt it even more. This is my indicator that my distal bicep tendon is acting up as I have torn it twice before and I know to heed this pain indicator. Because of this I opted not to do the isolated bicep work and to rest it over the weekend and maybe until Wednesday of next week.

I had plans to go see a friend this night so I worked out a half an hour after supper plus I only give myself 1.5 minutes for a break between sets; much like I used to when I did a body building routine. I finished things up in 45 minutes and went up and had a shower, grabbed a protein drink and was off.

I had worked out two days before this and I could feel the muscle tightness and soreness. However when doing this it reminded me how I felt when do the body building routine and I am in the thinking process of maybe picking this up again until June when I can go back to TKD/BJJ. I liked that feeling and it didn't slow me down but motivated me more to push forward. Also the miminal time between sets of 1.5 minutes got me through the workout faster plus it motivated me to make sure I got the one more rep to keep my reps even. Plus I sort of miss going to failure each time and having results of larger muscles. I will do some further thinking over the weekend.

Got home around 11:00 PM and watched Survivor, CSI and Pros vs. Joes and then headed to bed around 2:00 AM though I had a hard time getting to sleep due to a plugged nose; also I only breath out of one nostral at any given time due to having this stupid nose punched in and abuse even though I've had surgery on it many years ago. Suffice it to say I may have got 2 hours of sleep but still going great.

I leave for physio in 15 minutes and then home to train my daughter and wife ... who are doing excellent. Weekend rest and then back at it Monday.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

I have a new focus now. Until I am able to go back to TKD/BJJ I will be focusing on a body building routine. My goals are to work out 4 to 6 days a week with one body part per day. I want to do my workouts in approximately 45 minutes. I want to only have 1.5 minutes between sets; or however long it takes me to change weights. I will keep my reps in the range of 6 to 8. I will work till failure but will not sacrifice technique or form; therefore I will not be going to muscle exhaustion but just till I can no longer perform another rep.

Not used to doing some of these exercises so had to find the right weights. Laterals were done with a dumbbell in each hand; just in case you were wondering. By hitting the chest with 4 different exercises that should shock things and my body will for sure feel tight (DOMS) and that will be great. 1.5 minutes between sets will make me push past the exhaustion one normally feels so I will be working harder.

Again with this exercises the laterals and deltoid raises are done with dumbbells in each hand. Understand that these do not look like a lot of weights but for these types of exercises they actually are quite heavy. Technique and form are a must on these, not to mention proper breathing; don't hold your breath. Again getting used to the weights and finding what works.

Thursday is Physio and then I will work the back. Friday is arms and possibly Saturday I will work the legs, though I work them fairly good for where I'm at at Physio so I may not do them.

Stay tunes and see if I get the results I'm looking for. When I return in June I want to be bigger then when I left and stronger. I will also be picking up jogging once I get the okay.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

Still finding my way with the weights. I want to tell you something. When working on strengthening with the 5x5 I think I mentally defeated myself many times. Knowing I wanted to do all 5's I only pushed for 5's. The first ones I could have done more but knowing that the last set I would just get it done, I almost set myself up for failure to keep in the 5x5. With this body building regiment where I am pushing myself to failure on each lift, I am now mentally trying to get the same numbers but can't but I'm giving it my all and thus I have already seen some gains.

Take for instance after just getting back from my surgery I had to drop the weight down to an embarrassing 227 lbs for my bench and only got 6 reps out of it. I start this program and I push myself and I get 8. Lat pulldowns I was getting around 6 and with this I get 9 for the first one. We always talk about rest, good technique and form, eating right and all that good stuff but not as much is mentioned about your mentality when lifting; how you think. This program I am going to put my all into it and I am hoping for big things. I am pushing myself like I did years ago and it is making me happy. I like the 1.5 minutes between sets as I know I am tired when going to lift and I know I will have to push harder to get the reps I want in the 6 to 8 range. I'm loving it.

Father Time may have already touched me at 38 but I have the heart of a 17 year old that he can't touch. I will stay focused and train hard and Father Time will have to fight me for it as I will not go easy into the night. Bring it on beyotch.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"